On the run from the Royal Navy, Captain Jack Sparrow stumbles into a blacksmith’s shop where he is confronted by the apprentice,  Will Turner (). As it turns out, Will is the son of a respected pirate who was murdered when he opposed a mutiny. This streak of goodwill and justice from his father, Bootstrap Bill, was passed onto him.

Yet, when faced with who would replace Davy Jones, it was down to Jack and Will, one who wanted to evade death and the other who welcomed a different world where being a pirate wasn’t the mark of a traitor to the crown. Throughout the   franchise, Will proves that being cunning, daft, and compassionate are trademarks of a good man and a pirate.

6 A Touch of Destiny

When Jack is cursed with the black spot in , he takes his crew up-river to see Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris), a voodoo practitioner. She tells Will during this visit that he has a touch of destiny, something that is as mysterious as the sea and Tia Dalma herself. As it turns out, this touch of destiny is more like a fated rebirth as Will is the next Davy Jones. According to , the name Davy Jones was the sailor’s devil who captained the Flying Dutchman and was charged by Calypso to ferry the souls of sailors who died at sea. Disney stayed true to this original tale with the exception that Davy Jones could be cursed and replaced. More often than not,  are the ones who set curses, but in the  saga, many of the villains are cursed. Will’s touch of destiny is a sign that Davy Jones is set to be released from his curse.

5 Strong Moral Compass

At first, in , Will seems to be the straight-laced hero that does what he is told. He respects the caste system of Port Royal despite being rescued by the aristocracy and engages in a sword fight with a pirate so that the Royal guard can arrest said pirate. But when Elizabeth Swann, the governor’s daughter, is captured by Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and the crew of The Black Pearl, he breaks Jack out of prison, commandeers a royal ship, and even helps Jack escape a hanging all within one film. Will is indeed a hero, one that is a precursor to the Marvel heroes that are so beloved today. His sense of doing what is right for the sake of what’s right is rather brilliant. Though it may appear that he takes action to rescue Elizabeth, who is no damsel in distress, he also proves that his moral fiber is rooted in all forms of love.

4 Compassion Drives Him

After being swindled by Jack, Will is forced into servitude upon The Flying Dutchman, where he is reunited with his father, Bootstrap Bill (Stellan Skardgård). Once Will discovers where the key to Davy Jones’ chest is located, he promises his father to set him free. Yet, that promise comes with a sacrifice of his own life. Even with his pursuit and love of Elizabeth, he answers a bigger call: avenging his father and everyone aboard The Flying Dutchman from Calypso’s curse. This desire to do what is right for the sake of the whole is a sign of compassion, something many heroes lack. For current cinephiles, heroes do what is right because they are either told to or because they feel obliged to save the city. Will joins the ranks of heroes like Tony Stark, who sacrifices himself for the whole of the universe.

3 His Commitment to Elizabeth

Fans of the  franchise have several criticisms, but the biggest one is that Bloom’s Will Turner is a boring straight guy against Johnny Depp’s comedic Jack Sparrow. Back in 2020, Bloom finally commented on the massive dislike for his character, as  reported: “It's not easy to pull that straight guy off, do you know what I mean? And in a way, it was the emotional thread, that relationship between Elizabeth and Will.” That thread Bloom refers to gives Will a depth other “straight guys” in movies do not have. Often, these characters lack emotional depth and see women as disposable. Yet, Will sees Elizabeth () as his equal. At the gathering of the seven pirate lords in , Jack’s vote for Elizabeth makes her King of the Pirates. When Will hears this, his response is, “Maybe Jack does know what he’s doing.” He has this deep love and admiration for Elizabeth because she is a force to be reckoned with and acts to further the betterment of the world.

2 Persevering Spirit

One of the commanding officers of Port Royal is James Norrington (Jack Davenport) who is second to Governor Weatherby Swann (Jonathan Pryce). Unfortunately for Norrington, he loses his status in the Royal Navy for pursuing a vendetta against Jack, whom he blames for ruining his life. On the Isla Cruces, an abandoned island where Davy Jones has buried the chest containing his heart, Norrington, Jack, and Will spar over who gets the chest. Both Jack and Norrington want the heart for selfish reasons; Jack wants to live forever, and Norrington wants to redeem himself with the navy. Yet, Will needs the chest to fulfill his promise to his father. A common thread with Will is that a promise becomes law for him. Even if he loses a battle, he grabs his sword and fights until the end. Throughout his three appearances, Will perseveres despite the odds being against him.

1 Daft like Jack

Jack is a pirate unlike any other. He is cunning, an anti-hero, and daft. Every step he takes is in the name of self-preservation. In order to avoid death, he considers stabbing Davy Jones’ heart, even if that means he can only step on land once every decade. This is the problem with Jack becoming the captain of The Flying Dutchman, being selfish with the appointment can result in a curse. For all of Will’s positive attributes that lend him to being the best choice, he has one quality that many pirates have: daftness. Many people will think outside the box and be considered creative and innovative but Jack and Will think in terms of no box being present. Along with Elizabeth, Will has the audacity to approach problems with absurdity and even half-baked ideas. Ferrying souls to the other side possibly requires an unhinged mentality.